Rob Gronkowski Shares How Vita Vea Didn’t Take Kindly to Him ‘Slapping His A*s’

Samnur Reza | 13/07/2025
Rob Gronkowski and Vita Vea

Former tight end Rob Gronkowski won his fourth and final Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. He did it in his very first year with the team, fresh off a one-year break from the NFL. Sure, taking a year off can help you recharge physically and mentally, but jumping back in and going all the way in a brand-new environment is a different challenge. Everything feels unfamiliar, and even the most normal interactions can get a little awkward — as Gronk recently revealed.

On an episode of his podcast Dudes on Dudes, co-hosted by former teammate Julian Edelman, Gronk shared an awkward, yet slightly terrifying, interaction with Vita Vea.

Vea, a 6-foot-4, 347-pound force on the defensive line, had an unexpected reaction when Gronk slapped his behind out of sheer excitement. Nothing unusual, it’s just one of those things athletes do to hype each other up in the locker room or on the field. But Vea wasn’t having it.

“One time, I slapped Vita Vea’s as*, and I go, ‘Let’s go, let’s have a day.’ And he looked at me like he was gonna kill me,” Gronk recalled.

Then came the warning: “He was like, ‘Never slap my as* again.'”

The former TE quickly backed off, “I was like, ‘No Problem, Vita, whatever you say, I’ll do.’ To this day, I never slapped his as* again.”

We’re in the same boat as Gronk. If Vita Vea told us not to do something, we’d listen. It’s not exactly clear when the two athletes had this awkward exchange, but hopefully it happened before the Super Bowl win, because we all know a ring mends all wounds and tempers.

At the age of 30, Vita is going strong, as he heads into his eighth season in the league. Back in 2022, after Gronk retired for good, Vita signed a four-year, $71 million contract with the Bucs. And he’s been living up to it, playing 14 or more games each season. Last year, he earned his second Pro Bowl nod after racking up a career-best 7 sacks.

Post Edited By: Adarsh Ojha
Rob Gronkowski Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vita Vea

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Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. Samnur now diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and the NCAA. He considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1500 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over two years ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Elden Ring (New Game +6).

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